Hindko Academy’s work for national unity underlined

PESHAWAR: The Gandhara Hindko Academy is working for national cohesion by bringing out books and publications in 10 Pakistani languages, said officials on Sunday.

“The academy was set up in April 2015 to preserve and promote the Hindko language. Its work was later expanded to more Pakistani languages for furthering national unity,” said Muhammad Ziauddin, a research scholar and general secretary of the Gandhara Hindko Board that runs the academy in partnership with the Education Department of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, while speaking to a delegation of youths. Muhammad Usman led the 15-member delegation. Flanked by the academy’s Director Dr Muhammad Adil and two research officers, Ziauddin told the delegation the Hindko Board was a literary and cultural organisation working for the Hindko language and culture promotion since 1993. he said the board managed the affairs of the academy and briefed the youth on the work being done by the research body.

“In the start, the academy work was limited to Hindko, the second main language of KP and sixth widely spoken language of Pakistan. But later other fellow languages were taken along, particularly those requiring support,” said Ziauddin, who is the chief of the executive committee of the academy and has several research-based books to his credit. Elaborating on his statement, he said the academy had brought out books and publications in Hindko, Urdu, English, Pashto, Saraiki, Khowar, Kohistani, Brahui, Pothwari and Pahari languages.

“Apart from Hindko, we have published dictionaries of Punjabi and Pothwari languages. The Arabic and Persian books have been translated into Hindko as well,” said the literatus, who specializes in the documentation field. Ziauddin said the Hindko Academy and the board had conducted several activities such as conferences, cultural festivals, and literary sessions. “We have brought out publications to promote Hindko and other Pakistani languages,” he explained, adding the academy and board had jointly hosted seven international literary and cultural conferences which was no small achievement. Academy’s Director Dr Muhammad Adil said the books and publications brought out by the academy had crossed 450 mark. “The Pakistan Academy of Letters and other reputed forums have awarded the books published by the Hindko Academy,” said the researcher who has prepared mobile applications for the Hindko language promotion.

He asked the youth to benefit from the resource material available at the Dr Elahi Bakhsh Awan Library of the academy. “Youths are an asset to Pakistan. You should utilize your energies in positive pursuits. Working for linguistic and cultural affinities is one such task,” said Dr Muhammad Adil, offering the youth to join online literary and cultural research if they faced any physical barriers.

Research officers Ali Awais Khayal and Nouman Qayyum said the academy was publishing Hindko journals such as “Hindko Adab,” “The Gandhara Voice,” “Surkheil,” “Taarey,’’ “Fatima” and a research magazine, “Mother” in English. It is helping Saraiki magazine, “Gomal Rang”, Khowar journal, “Khowar Nama”, and Kohistani magazine, “Watan”.

They exhorted the youth to consult the library and audio-visual section of the Hindko Academy. The visiting youths put up questions to the officials of the academy which were responded accordingly.